Theophany in Genesis 2: Yahweh God as the Original Potter

The Bible depicts Yahweh as potter and man as clay over twenty times. These references harken back to the beginning when Yahweh God fashioned man and the animals from the dust/clay of the ground and breathed life into their nostrils (Gen. 2:7, 19). Where was Yahweh God located when he formed Adam, Eve, and the animals? Although it is possible that he created them from a distant location such as heaven, I argue in this presentation that Yahweh God stood on earth to create mankind and the animals with his own hands—a human-form theophany à la Genesis 18 and 32:24–30. In the land of Eden, the master potter sculpted his creatures using the freehand pottery manufacturing technique and breathed life into the clay statues with his own mouth. My research improves our understanding of Yahweh God by showing that he was present bodily at the creation of mankind rather than aloof. It intersects with the current debate over the historical Adam and Eve and their material creation. My conclusion fits within the theological frameworks of creationism and monotheism.

Dr. Mark A. Hassler is an Old Testament scholar and biblical archaeologist whose research and teaching bring together the Hebrew Bible, biblical archaeology, historical and material culture, and the interpretation of Scripture within its ancient context.

He teaches Old Testament at Lancaster Bible College and serves as an Area Supervisor for the Associates for Biblical Research excavations at ancient Shiloh. He is Editor-in-Chief of Bible and Spade and Vice President of the Near East Archaeological Society.

His archaeological field experience includes work at Shiloh, Khirbet el-Maqatir, and the Mount Ebal sifting project. His scholarship has addressed biblical archaeology, Old Testament interpretation, archaeological architecture and fortifications, the relationship between biblical texts and material culture, and the historical and cultural contexts of Scripture.

He has also served two terms as President of the Eastern Region of the Evangelical Theological Society (2021–2023) and formerly served as editor of the Near East Archaeological Society Bulletin.

Dr. Hassler's presentation "Theophany in Genesis 2: Yahweh God as the Original Potter" is based on research connected with his contribution to the forthcoming scholarly volume Scripture in Its Material and Literary Context: Historical, Archaeological, and Cultural Correlations, edited by Mark A. Hassler, Scott Stripling, and Clyde E. Billington, and published by T&T Clark / Bloomsbury Academic.

He is also currently working on Readings in the Primary Biblical Languages: Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic, and Latin, coauthored with Craig Evans.